Making healthy food choices

Eating a diet filled with plenty of fruit and vegetables and keeping fatty and sugary foods to a minimum is essential for both good health and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. But the amount of food we eat, that is the portion size, is just as important as selecting the right types of food when it comes to weight loss.

Here are some healthy-eating tips that will help you hit your weight loss goals:

  • Research has shown that people who are given larger portions of food will eat more, and that using larger dishware may also encourage you to eat more. Stick to healthy portion sizes by trying to order appetisers as your main meal when eating out and trying to use smaller dishware.
  • Get specific when it comes to measuring your portion sizes. Portion sizes don’t always align with one-cup equivalents. One helpful tip is to divide your plate up, half of your plate should be vegetables and the remaining half to be divided up between lean protein and whole grain varieties
  • Adults are recommended to eat 2 serves of fruit a day. When choosing fruit, examples of one serve are a medium-sized apple, banana, orange or pear; or two apricots, kiwi fruit or plums
  • Over a week, a maximum of around 7 serves of lean red meat is recommended. A standard serve is 65g cooked lean red meats such as beef, lamb, veal, pork, goat or kangaroo. So, think about your portions. Alternatives to lean red meat include fish or legumes
  • Plan your meals in advance and be sure to include plenty of healthy foods you enjoy in each meal to stay motivated.

For more advice on healthy eating choices contact your healthcare professional or dietician.

DISCLAIMER: This editorial has been brought to you by Radiant Health. Content in this editorial is for general information only and is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. For more information, speak to your healthcare professional. NZ-2019-11-0007.